Jan Legault

Artist Statement

“Medical experts” seem to agree my limbic system is faulty. So I decided to knit myself a new one.

This piece appears to be a work in progress. New issues continue to come to light including:

a) considering these disabilities are partially created by the medications that are meant to help “regulate” me.

b) the alarming impact of childhood / teenage / young adulthood abuse

c) living proof dispelling the myths of a life of binaries e.g. gender roles (female or male...)

d) fear around not knowing the long term effects of my suicide attempts, anorexia, head injuries, pharmaceuticals, ECT (electroconvulsive therapy).

e) how my body betrays me with chronic pain

f) accepting myself for how, who I am.

Catalogue Description

Jan is a 43-year-old, self-taught visual artist who lives with partner, Lisa and the sweetest dogs (2) and cats (3) on The Sunshine Coast, BC. Jan struggles with emotional pain that has been diagnosed as PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder), and has chronic myofascial pain which limits physical abilities. Despite these obstacles Jan continues to create, producing work ranging from bold colours and smooth lines as oil on canvas to subtle changes of light and depth within works of pen & ink.